On Aug. 3, Ohio State four-star cornerback commit Jordan Hancock announced he would not play his senior season at Suwanee (Ga.) North Gwinnett in order to limit potential interactions with others amid the coronavirus pandemic. But after numerous conversations with his parents, who both have underlying health conditions, he has decided to rejoin his teammates this fall.
The news was first reported by 247Sports director of recruiting Steve Wiltfong.
The 6-1, 170-pound Hancock – who is considered the fourth-best cornerback and No. 66 prospect overall in the class of 2021 – committed to the Buckeyes in July, just days after he decommitted from Clemson. He initially picked the Tigers because of the program’s focus on faith and proximity to his hometown, where his mother was undergoing radiation treatments for cancer that she has since completed.
Hancock was one of five Ohio State commits to opt out of their senior seasons, joining Pickerington (Ohio) North five-star defensive end Jack Sawyer; Hopewell, Va., five-star running back TreVeyon Henderson; Cornelius (N.C.) William Amos Hough four-star running back Evan Pryor; and Aurora (Colo.) Cherokee Trail three-star tight end Sam Hart, who also opted back in after Colorado reinstated its fall schedule.
Sawyer also had that option but decided to focus on enrolling early at Ohio State, while Henderson and Pryor were not given a choice since Virginia and North Carolina are still aiming for spring seasons.
It’s unclear when Hancock, who is set to cap his high school career in the 2021 All-American Bowl, will make his season debut. The Bulldogs are back in action this evening against North Cobb and have four additional games scheduled before the playoffs.
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